Reviews & Interviews
Reviews / Interviews

Album: R-Evolution ( 2014 )

REVIEW

Date: February '14
Author: Alan Savill
Vote: 95%
Language: English
Website: http://www.themidlandsrocks.com
Direct link: click here

Full of quality tracks, it’s hard to pick any particular favourites, however ‘Southern Seas’ with its slow start building to a majestic ballad is a classic in the making.

Formed in 1987, Italian band Martiria have undergone various changes in personnel, this latest reincarnation featuring one of the most powerful drummers on the rock scene, Vinny Appice of Dio, Heaven and Hell and Black Sabbath no less. A mix of doom metal, a little classic rock, Black Sabbath influences from the Heaven and Hell era, and a huge serving of European power metal, R-Evolution is a major triumph.

Full of quality tracks, it’s hard to pick any particular favourites, however ‘Southern Seas’ with its slow start building to a majestic ballad is a classic in the making. ‘Tshushima’ again is a slower song with touches of Candlemass with sweeping riffs and thunderous drums. But as well as the tracks, the musicianship, the instrumentation, and attention to detail enhances the album. For one, the opening riff and the Maiden-like gallop of ‘Revolution’ hits the mark, and the keyboards in ‘The Mark of Cain’ work very well, everything on this track being well thought-out and put together, the instruments complimenting each other and the solo sections adding to its composition.

His voice almost operatic, strong throughout, Fabio Cosmo is able to show off his power and range on ‘The Road to Tenochtitlan’, his multi-octave scream powering into another storytelling epic. For a singer to play with someone who has such a strong bond with RJD must be daunting at times but you simply wouldn’t know. What marks Cosmo out is knowing that less is more, his ability to know when to be restrained and when to be more dramatic again having a serious impact on the whole album.

It’s apparent that all the band members have been playing together for a while and have taken all from their individual experiences and brought it to the band. There’s no weak link here. Andy Menario (guitar and keyboards), Flavio Cosma (vocals), Derek Maniscalco (bass) and Appice, on top form, have all worked together well to forge a very cleverly constructed album. Let’s hope we see them on the road soon.

© Alan Savill